Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

"At Parr Brown, diversity, equity, and inclusion are some of our highest ideals. Our Firm’s structure, governance and compensation system is specifically designed to create equity and inclusion among our attorneys."

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Parr Brown Gee & Loveless, we believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment in which all our people are empowered to succeed. We are committed to promoting equal employment and advancement opportunities in all aspects of the Firm’s employment and personnel matters, without regard to race, color, sex, ethnicity, religion, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran or military service status.

Parr Brown has robust internal policies and practices aimed at protecting our employees from discrimination and harassment and ensuring that each individual has an equal opportunity to thrive at the Firm.

The Firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee oversees the Firm’s strategic DEI initiatives and commitment to these values.  Our unique governance structure includes, as a day- one attorney, membership on the Firm’s ultimate decision-making body, the “Committee of the Whole,” an expectation that all attorneys will serve on one or more key Firm management committees, and a mentorship program for all associates and shareholders. Parr Brown is committed to the values of complete transparency in all hiring and compensation decisions –every attorney here has full access to all of the Firm’s financials and is encouraged to actively participate in hiring decisions.  The Firm was founded on the ideal that a democratic governance structure and financial transparency foster accountability and equity in compensation decisions and empower all attorneys to succeed.

Community and Engagement

The Firm’s support of diversity, equity, and inclusion extends to our local community. To that end, we actively participate in local and national initiatives and encourage our attorneys to participate in and support affinity groups. Parr Brown attorneys are regularly engaged in pro bono representations that uphold and defend our values of diversity and equity. Some of these matters have included supporting Dreamers applying to the Utah Bar and public interest litigation protecting and enforcing state and federal constitutional protections for individuals.

The Firm has a long tradition as an advocate for diversity in the Utah legal community. Parr Brown was the first law firm to enroll as a Certified Member of the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI) and has maintained that certification every year since.  In 2003 we adopted the Utah Minority Bar Association’s Pledge to Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Utah Law Firms. Parr Brown attorneys participate and have held leadership roles in a variety of affinity groups, including the following:

  • The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion
  • The Utah Minority Bar Association
  • Women Lawyers of Utah
  • LGBT and Allied Lawyers of Utah
  • The Salt Lake Chamber’s Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Training Series
  • The Utah Chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union

Recruiting

A key factor in the Firm’s success has been the recruitment of extremely talented and diverse individuals who strive for excellence. The Firm partners with DEI-focused organizations and supports a number of affinity groups at our local law schools. We view diversity and inclusion in hiring as a strength and aligned with our values as a Firm.

Global Perspective

Parr Brown has a broad global perspective, inspired by our International Services and Business Immigration practice groups. With clients in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, our attorneys have an extensive global network within which they experience diverse perspectives on world cultures and the law. Parr Brown attorneys are fluent in many languages and understand that authentic representation of clients often requires an understanding of their native language and culture.